Secret Invasion: Here's 7 characters you gotta watch out for in the must-see Marvel Studios show

The new ‘Secret Invasion’ series is going to blow you away - seriously. Six episodes of jam-packed fun and signature acting from the iconic Samuel L. Jackson is expected but getting to see fellow Hollywood heavyweights attached to the show? Holy smokes. It’s vital to take a deep dive into who you should expect to see with the new show premiering in a matter of hours.

Now granted, this does touch a ‘little’ bit into spoiler territory, so while I do suggest skimming these details, you might want to wait until ‘after’ watching the premiere and coming back here to get the nitty gritty details on these standout actors and their characters’ contributions to the Marvel Studios universe. Reminder - ‘Secret Invasion’ officially premieres Wednesday, June 21 on Disney+.

Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos

Ben Mendelsohn reprises his role of Talos, from Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel.” We find Talos, a celebrated Skrull warrior, grappling with what it means to be a leader as he finds himself at odds with those closest to him, including his friend, Nick Fury.

As Mendelsohn explains, “So when we get to ‘Secret Invasion,’ Nick Fury’s been AWOL. After Thanos blipped half the universe, Fury headed back to his space station. Meanwhile, Talos still has the problem that he had: he has to find somewhere for his people to be able to survive, let alone thrive.”

Continuing, he says, “But his most powerful working relationship is gone. Nick Fury’s gone. He doesn’t have the alliance and the advantage of having Fury on the ground with him on Earth. So, Nick Fury’s got some catching up to do when he returns.”

Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill

Cobie Smulders returns to the role of Maria Hill, which she originated in the first “Avengers” film back in 2012. Hill is a decorated spy and Fury’s loyal #2, who joins in the fight against the clandestine invasion of Earth by the Skrulls.

Offering insight into her character, Smulders says, “Maria Hill has always been loyal, and I think that that is one of her strongest traits. She’s always been willing to put herself on the frontline to defend others.”

Martin Freeman’s Agent Everett Ross

Martin Freeman brings back Agent Everett Ross, who discovers that all is not what it seems when he receives information of an impending Skrull invasion.

Describing where we find Ross at the start of the series, Freeman says, “Ross is meeting with agent Prescod who has information about Skrulls, and Ross is there to help him and determine whether he’s going to bring Fury down to help deal with that.”

After Ross and Prescod meet, the decision’s made to call in the big guns, and Fury returns to Earth from the S.A.B.E.R. space station, fully aware of the promise he has not met and the threat now facing humanity.

Emilia Clarke’s G’iah

Emilia Clarke portrays G’iah, Talos’ daughter, who has become a fierce and pragmatic Skrull warrior. We briefly met G’iah as Talos’ young daughter in “Captain Marvel,” but in this series she’s all grown up.

G’iah’s relationship with her father “is incredibly complicated,” as Clarke explains: “One of the mostinteresting things about this show is that you get to seea domestic side to both Talos and Fury that you haven't seen up until this point. You get to see them at home, for want of a better word, in a very extreme situation, obviously. And G’iah is a part of that for Talos. And theworld’s best dad award probably isn’t going to him. He’sraised a fighter, and the relationship that they have is built around her proving herself.”

She adds, “As things get really serious and as her life becomes truly in danger, that’s when Talos kind of warms as a character. And I think that’s when you see a lot more heart than you’ve probably seen in him before because he’s talking about his daughter.”

Olivia Colman’s Sonya Falsworth

Olivia Colman joins the MCU as Sonya Falsworth, a seasoned MI6 agent, who will stop at nothing to protect her beloved England—no matter the cost. It could be said that Nick Fury meets his match with Sonya Falsworth. Despite looking like one’s favorite aunt with her crimson chiffon and offers of tea, she is actually the deadliest of opponents and has been tracking Gravik and the rebels for some time.

Commenting on the relationship between Sonya and Fury, Colman says, “Sonya is an old friend of Nick Fury’s, and they respect each other. Even though they like each other, they still don’t entirely trust each other. They’ve got a long history.”

When it comes to the Skrulls, the two disagree. “Sonya and Fury have a different view of the Skrulls,” remarks Colman. “He knows that some of them are good, but she thinks all of them are bad. So, they have to come together at some point.”

Samuel L. Jackson has nothing but praise for Colman, with whom he shares several important scenes in the series. “Olivia Colman is so amazing, I just really love working with her,” says Jackson. “She comes in, and it’s one of those things where I’ve always known from watching her that as serious and convincing and as honest as her work is, you can see the twinkle in her eye that’s fun. Like me, this is a sort of playground for her, she just wants to come to work and the better you are at it, the better she becomes. She’s so amazing.”

Director Ali Selim agrees, adding about her role, “We approached the role of Sonya entirely differently. Whereas Fury and Talos’ performances are marked with drama and intensity and darkness, Olivia’s performance is marked by humor and lightness.”

Don Cheadle's Colonel James Rhodes

Don Cheadle returns as Colonel James Rhodes, who must make some tough calls when he learns of an impending Skrull invasion.

For Cheadle, the opportunity to comeback to the MCU in “Secret Invasion” wasa positive experience. “With theseDisney+ series, we’re looking at the MCUthrough different lenses and you get tosee all different sides to the characters.So, characters that you may get to seeonly in certain scenes in all of the moviesthat have come out, now we get to really focus on them. And we get to really sort of dig into who they are. On ‘Secret Invasion’ we get to really dig into Fury and his journey and where he’s coming from and where he’s headed, and what he’s having to experience and its challenges.”

He sums up, “In this series in particular, there are themes explored of being the others and where do they belong and who gets to call this place home and the effect of promises broken to a species that is trying to find its place in the world. I think that’s something worth investigating more, and it’s fun to do it through this lens.”

Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Gravik

Kingsley Ben-Adir plays Gravik, the young mastermind behind the rebel Skrulls and their mission to take over Earth.

Describing Gravik’s motivations, Ben-Adir says, “Gravik thinks that thirty years is a long time to be promised something, and that the Skrulls are never going to get a home. He’s definitely of the belief that nothing was going to change and that Fury’s full of it. He’s not buying any of it anymore. So, he goes off to make things right in his own way.”

Working with director Ali Selim was a positive experience for Ben-Adir, who says, “Ali’s just done a great job, and I feel like creatively we found our groove as the months went on. We’ve had lots of great discussions about the character. I’ve got great respect for him and what he does, and he’s done a terrific job. He’s been really helpful in so many of the scenes and knows when to give a nudge here or a tweak there.”

‘Secret Invasion’ officially premieres Wednesday, June 21 on Disney+.